Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Well so if you happen to follow me on Flickr, then more than likely you are
familiar with my new, old chair.

I bought this little gem for twenty bucks at a flea market/vintage show a
couple of months ago and was so excited to bring it home to use as a prop for
photography. As you can see, it’s definitely ‘vintage’. The paint is peeling off and one
of the rungs in the back is missing.

I will share with you that my husband was
not nearly as impressed or excited as I was when I brought it home...“You paid how much for that rickety old chair??”

Anyway, since then I have had the best time setting up little still life
shots with it.

So cute right?

And honestly, having this little chair has added an element of whimsy to my
photography that had not existed before. Which can I tell you….I LOVE. Because
it makes photography fun. Yes…fun. Photography should be
fun.

Seems silly that I have to remind myself of that from time to time, but given
my tendency to over think things, it’s really no surprise that I can really suck
the joy right out of this hobby that I love so much. This little chair reminds me to have fun. Be playful. Don’t take things so
seriously.

You've probably noticed…Stephanie, Leigh, Dotti, myself…we've all recently
shared thoughts on being stuck in a rut or feeling uninspired by our
photography. My hope is that, if you've felt a little uninspired lately, you’ll
see that it happens to all of us. Whether you've been taking photos for thirty
years or three years. Everyone hits a bump in the road. But the thing is
to just keep shooting. Maybe use a different lens. Or buy a new one. Challenge
yourself with a project. Or buy an old chair. Whatever you do, just have fun.

We so love hearing from you and would love know what helps you whenever you
feel uninspired? And please…keep sharing your beautiful summer time images. They
inspire all of us.

14
comments:

I love your old chair! Each of your "chair" images makes me smile and makes me feel warm and fuzzy. You create the most beautiful vignettes with it! They're nostalgic to me and I love nostalgia! To get out of my rut, I switched to my 50mm lens and began seeking a daily image based on light. I've always know light makes the photo, but this is the first time I've actively looked for the light first!

This is a fabulous chair and you've been getting great shots. I thought I'd found a great old chair a couple of weeks ago ... until I looked at the price: $1800. Needless to say, it doesn't grace my home or my photos. But I'm still looking ...

I have loved every image you have posted with that old chair (and have had a bit of chair envy!) Having fun and not taking this hobby too seriously keeps the joy alive. It's easy for me to feel uninspired with the heat we have in the summer but yesterday I went back to Butterfly Wonderland and had a few hours of fun shooting those gorgeous creatures. Getting out with my camera, no matter where it is, never ceases to inspire me!

Fabulous $20 spend! Love all your images here, so beautiful, especially those lovely peonies. I hate the ruts but one of the best pieces of advice I heard (via one of Kim's classes) was from Steven Pressfield - just keep showing up and doing the work. It really DOES work, even though you don't always feel like showing up. :)

Your chair is great and you've gotten some great shots. Like so many have mentioned above, keep showing up. Just keep shooting. We all get in those ruts, and sometimes they can last a long time. Shoot shoot shoot, and buying an awesome chair doesn't hurt either!

Oh, I had a chair very similar to that I had gotten at a Model home furniture sale, I too had paid $20 for it. Mine was a fairly new chair made to look old, but I was encouraged to sell it in a garage sale when we moved...huge regret! It was a fabulous whitish with blue crackle...I wasn't into photography at the time. Of course I look back now at all the things I wish I hadn't let go, or all the things from my grandma's basement I didn't know I would "need"! I've realized that my inspiration though, usually has something to do with my just showing up! :) Your photos are beautiful!

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